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Jeff Bezos' purchase of The Washington Post gives the Amazon CEO clout in Beltway circles, experts say. Bezos has a reputation as an anti-tax libertarian and a supporter of gay rights, and he has chiefly supported Democratic candidates in the past. Still, those who know him say he'll likely avoid direct involvement in Washington policy debates. "I see his world view as being much less political and much less partisan than it is sort of logic-based, explorer-based," says biographer Mark Leibovich.

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The Senate's desks are historical artifacts -- so Senate curator Diane Skvarla winces a little when she watches lawmakers pound their fists on the furniture during heated Senate debates. During recesses, her team of restorers works to repair the battered desks, hopefully keeping them functional for many years to come. "Most people like to think of them as a working museum. Every time they’re used, they get more history," Skvarla says.

The purchase of The Washington Post for $250 million by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos has observers wondering how Bezos, known for exploring big ideas, will change the way the paper operates. Post humorist Gene Weingarten takes a whimsical look at how the news may be gathered and delivered in the Bezos era.

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has agreed to buy The Washington Post, is known for his patience and "willingness to pursue a long-term vision," which "may serve him well amid the tumult of today's crumbling newspaper business," according to this article, which gives a detailed description of Bezos' life and business philosophies.